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Thursday, July 23, 2015

I made the suggestion to Shawn that we might consider doing Meatless Monday every so often. With a wry smile on his face, he agreed.

I knew as well as he did that if I made, say a big green salad absent of meat, that he'd ask where's the meat? I know he knows that I know his idea of Meatless Monday really means Meat Less the vegetables Monday. mmhh, hhh.

That's my carnivorous husband.

But, if you can forego the meat and you like to re-purpose things in unexpected ways like I do, then I've come up with a perfect, and beautiful, match.

This stunning teal transferware Well & Tree Platter needs nothing altered to convert it into an instant vanity tray or soap dish!

As I admired this piece today while photographing it to list to my shop I thought that the well (which is where the juices from a roast or meat would pool in) would be a perfect spot to hold coins, rings, small bath items like q-tips or what-nots.

In a guest bathroom, wouldn't it be gorgeous with a bar of soap in the well and the fancy, thick, disposable hand towels (or regular ones rolled up) laid at an angle on the platter? Perhaps a small bud vase filled with a single rose would be nice on it as well? I think it would be lovely.

I like this idea a lot. The teal sure looks pretty paired with some of my purple transferware, but I'm holding out to find one that is purple.

As I played around with this today I wondered what the original owner (back in 1830 or so) would have thought about me using it as a vanity tray!

Monday, July 20, 2015

I never considered that I might have a cow collection. However, if the saying is true that "if you have 3 or more, it's a collection" then I suppose that indeed I do have a little cow collection, or well, bull collection. Actually I guess I have both a cow and a bull collection. Actually now that I think about it, if the rule of 3 is fact, then I have a lot of collections. Seriously. A lot of collections.

I've shown you some of the cows in my kitchen before but today I decided to show the cows in my breakfast nook. I really like this little vignette across my kitchen table with the candlesticks and cute bread cart.

In the photo above, you can see the wooden cow sign that hangs above and between the French doors. It's fairly large, about 22". I can't remember if this came from a butchers shop or what it was used for, but I just knew I liked it and had a perfect spot to display it. It's a really nice antique piece that is carved dimensionally.

Several years ago I posted a tablescape with two matching bull planters which, at the time, were the only two that I had. After publishing that post a few readers periodically asked about buying the planters. After a time I gave in and sold one of the planters to one of those that had asked about it.

I just recently came across another one of these Hereford Bull planters and decided to go ahead and buy it and put it in my shop in case anyone is looking for one. Isn't he a cutie?

When I was putting the centerpiece / display on the breakfast table and decided to put the bull planters there I went out to the front yard and clipped some sprigs off the bushes to add real greenery. I've been surprised at how fresh it's stayed, for over a week now. When I took the scissors out to cut the sprigs off the bushes Shawn was like, "you're trimming the hedges with scissors"???? lol

Earlier today as I was thinking about this post I thought that a grouping, um excuse me, I mean a collection, of these little planters would be darling in a windowsill with fresh herbs growing in them. Don't you agree?

Now, see the biggest bull on the table, to the right of the cart? That's my newest addition and though it's not a planter it is a unique item. It did come from a Butchers shop in England where these larger bulls were made as displays for the meat counters. Pretty cool, huh?

And not to change the subject suddenly, but since I know some of you all who love transferware almost as much as I do, and who also follow my blog might notice some of the 'new' to my collection advertising transferware on the bookcase in the background. I've come across some amazing pieces in recent months so I'll be sharing more about those soon…just in case you're wondering!

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About Me

I am a designer and freelance writer specializing in and offering for sale one of the largest collections of 19th and 20th Century English transferware in the world. I love the history and art found in each piece I buy and sell. I've worked with designers and clients all over the world creating custom wallscapes, transferware displays and table settings.

I absolutely love what I do, selling English Transferware and authoring the blog Nancy's Daily Dish where I write educational posts on the subject, create tablescapes with different transfer ware patterns sharing the histories behind them, and share my love of design, cooking, poetry and appreciation of beautiful things.

After 30 years of marriage I am still crazy in love with my husband and the six children we have. I think of them and I smile.

I am so glad you took time to stop by my site. I hope you'll stop by my blog as well and say hello.